Adjustable rail brace



Will 79 WE.. s. LEASTBURN ADJUSTABLE RAIL BRACE Filed Oct. 2, 1931 2 Sheets-Sl'xeefl l ATTORNEYS N R U E T S E L S ADJUSTABLE RAIL BRACE 2 sneet-sheet 2 Filed Oct. 2, 1931 IINVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 7, 1936 ADJUSTABLE RAIL BRACE Samuel L. Eastburn, Sloatsburg, N. Y., assignor to Ramapo Ajax Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 2,

Claims.

The invention relates to railroad track equipment, and more particularly to an adjustable rail brace.

1 According to one form which the invention may assume, the brace comprises a rail contacting member and a stationary member, said members having tapered contacting surfaces so that the rail may be tightly wedged in position. The contacting surfaces of the members may be tapered both horizontally and vertically to assist in holding the rail in its seat, which may form a part of a tie plate or othersuitable structure. One end of the rail contacting member may be made heavy to withstand hammer blows so that this member maybe driven to position by a Sledge hammer or the like. A suitable adjusting bolt may be provided to hold the parts of the brace in adjusted position, and means may be provided for placing the nut of the bolt in position where it is easily reached by the trackmans wrench.

1 If desired, the stationary member may rest in a depressed seat in the tie plate with the rail also resting in this seat. The stationary member may be welded to the tie plate, along two or 25. more edges of the stationary member Where it contacts the tie plate to rigidly secure it to the tie plate.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Those features of the present invention disclosed herein butl not specifically claimed are more fully described and claimed in my copending application led February 26, 1931, Serial No. 518,383.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantageaand the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which Fig.v 1 is Yan end View of the brace engaging a rail;

Fig.. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a plan View of the brace; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and

-In the following description and in the claims.I

1931, Serial No. 566,466

(Cl. 23S-292) various details will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specication, certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for purposes of explanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modied in various respects without departure from the broad aspect of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1-5 inclusive, the railroad tie is indicated by ID, on which rests a tie plate I I having a seat I2. A rail I3 and the stationary member I'I of the brace rest in the seat I2. The rail I3 may be of standard construction comprising a head I4, web I5 and flange I6.

The adjustable brace comprises the stationary member I1 secured to the tie plate Il and the rail-contacting member I8. The stationary member I'I is rigidly secured in its seat I2 by welding around the entire edgev of the stationary member as indicated by t0. If desired, the stationary member I'I may be welded in its seat I2 by welding along either pair of opposite edges only of the stationary member.

The stationary member Il' comprises a wedgewall 2| which is inclined lengthwise of the rail, as shown. 'I'he wedge wall 2| has a vertically inclined surface 22 and a vertical surface 23 and a bottom shelf, or shoulder I 23.

The stationary member I'I has a flat base 2d which is connected to the wedge wall 2i by a plurality of strengthening webs 25. Both the base 24 and the tie plate I I have holes through which screw bolts I9 pass into the tie Ill. The under side] of the flat base 2li may be recessed as indicatedat 20 to improve the seating on tie plate.

The rail contacting member or block I3 com-k prises a. wedge wall 2i. in-clining lengthwise of the rail, which has a vertically inclined surface 28 and a vertical surface 29 tting and engaging corresponding surfaces 22 and 23,'respectively, on the stationary member.

The rail contacting member Iii has a longitudinal recess 30 and a curved wall 3i extending between webs 33 and 3. An additional web 32 is provided at the larger end which is thickened for strength and to provide a recess 4I for the head of bolt 40. y

The webs 32, 33 and 34 are shaped to engage fishing surfaces 35 and 36 of the rail, as indicated, and are provided with recesses or clearance spaces 3'|.

The bolt 40 passes loosely through the web 32, as indicated, and through a large circular hole 42 in web 33. The stationary member Il is provided with a long tubular projection 26 through which the bolt 40 loosely passes. A nut 43 and lock washer 44 are provided on the thread end of the bolt 40. The projection 2B has a tapered mouth 6| to assist in threading the bolt 4|! through.

To use the adjustable brace, the stationary member is secured to the tie plate and tie, as explained above, and the rail contacting member I8 is placed in the position shown, with the bolt 40 also in the position shown. The rail contacting member IB is driven by hammer blows on the reinforced web 32 to tightly wedge the rail I3 in its seat I2. The friction between the parts of the adjustable brace serves to hold the parts in wedged position. The workman then draws up on the nut 43 which projects clear of the brace in position so that it can be easily engaged by his wrench. In other words, the adjustable brace is adjusted by hitting with a hammer and held in adjusted position by the bolt 40 and nut 43.

As an alternative way of making the nut accessible, the construction shown in Fig. 5 may be used. In this ligure the lug 5U on the stationary member is made smaller and a long nut 52 is used, together with a lock washer 5|. Thus, in this construction the nut 52 is accessible so that it can be easily tightened when the rail contacting member |8 is driven home by hammer blows.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the stationary member rests in depressed seat H2 in the tie plate as above described. In this construction, however, rivets |20 pass through the base |24 and tie plate to hold these members together. Spikes I9 are shown, passing through both base |24 and tie plate into the tie IIU. l.[f desired, the stationary member may also be welded to the tie plate as in the construction above. The construction of the stationary member an-d rail contacting member in this modied form may be otherwise the same as described above.

Thus, an adjustable brace has been described which will effectively and surely hold the rail in proper position. The inclined surfaces 22 and 28 assist in holding the rail contacting member |8 down against the ange I6 of the rail, which in turn holds the rail in its seat |2. This construction assists in keeping the rail from lifting from the plate, as sometimes occurs with ordinary braces. The brace is easily adjusted by the trackman simply hitting with the hammer and then taking up the slack on the adjusting nut.

The recess 4| in web 32 protects the head of the bolt 4U from the hammer blows on the web 32 which is purposely strengthened to withstand such blows. Furthermore, the engagement of the ilat upper surface on shelf |23 with the railcontacting member |8 assists in preventing the latter from any tendency to roll.

The welding of the stationary member of the adjustable brace to the tie plate makes a stronger and more intimate connection. The action of the brace under operating conditions places considerable stress on the tie plate and the welded connection greatly increases the effective strength of the combined construction at this point and prevents all chance of the stationary member becoming loose on the tie plate.

It is, of course, obvious that the tie plate and stationary and movable blocks of the adjustable brace are made of metal to withstand the heavy stresses caused by the rolling stock. Furthermore, it will be noted, especially from Figs. l and 6, that the wedge wall 2| of the stationary block extends upwardly to a height substantially equal to the height of the web |5 of the rail and also overhangs for a considerable part of its length the base ilange I6 of the rail. is advantageous in causing the rail contacting block to exert an effective downward pressure on the base flange of the rail.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those'skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In a rail brace construction, a tie plate having a shoulder, a rail seated' on said plate against said shoulder, a stationary open web metal block having a flat plate-like basek member and a platelike wedge wall rising substantially the height' of the web of the rail, said wedge wall being located adjacent the inner edge of said base member, said wedge wall and inner edge of said base member extending at an angle to the length of the rail, a plurality of upstanding strengthening webs connecting said flat base member and said wedge wall, said base member being disposed in close proximity to the base flange of said rail, an adjustable tapered rail contacting metal block between said wedge wall and said rail, said base member having a bottom recess'providing a depending peripheral flange, and welding extending substantially continuously around the edge of said depending flange integrally securing said stationary block to said tie plate,'whereby maximum strength against tipping the stationary block with respect to said tie plate is obtained and the combined bending strength of the stationary block and tie plate is greatly'increased.

2. In a rail brace construction, a tie plate having rst and secondshoulders forming a depressed seat therebetween, a rail seated on said seat against said rst shoulder, a stationary open web metal block having a flat plate-like base member anda plate-like wedge wall rising substantially the height of the web of the rail, said wedge wall being located adjacent'the inner edge of said base member, said wedge wall and inner edge of said base member extending at anv angle to the length of the rail, upstanding end strengthening webs connecting the endsI of said base member and said wedge lwall and an intermediate strengthening web connecting said flat base member and said wedge Wall, the inner edge of said base member being'fdisposed in close proximity to the base flange of said rail, said base member having a'bottom recess providing a depending peripheral flange-resting on said seat, the outer edge of said base member being seated against said second shoulder, `an adjustable tapered railcontacting metal block between said wedge wall and said rail, and welding extending substantially continuously around the edge of said depending peripheral flange integrally securing said stationary block to said tie plate, whereby maximum strength against tipping the stationary block with respect to said tie plate is obtained andthe cornbined bending strength of the stationary block and tie plate is greatly increased.

3. In a railbrace construction, a tie' plate hav- I'his construction ing a shoulder, a rail seated on said plate against said shoulder, a separate stationary block having a base resting on said tie plate and a wedge wall, said wedge wall being inclined upwardly and inwardly toward the rail, said wedge wall also being inclined lengthwise of the rail, said stationary block having a shelf located at the bottom of said wedge Wall and at about the same height as the flange of the rail, an adjustable rail contact block having a portion tting said rail and a doubly inclined portion engaging the doubly inclined portion of said stationary block, welding extending substantially continuously entirely around the edge of said base integrally securing said stationary block to said tie plate, said shelf engaging the lower edge of said contact block and providing a clearance space for the welding between the adjacent edges of said base and said rail liange.

4. In a rail brace construction, a tie plate having a shoulder, a rail seated on said plate and having its base flange disposed against said shoulder, a separate stationary block having a large flat base resting on said tie plate and a wedge wall, said wedge wall being inclined lengthwise of the rail, an adjustable rail contact block having a portion fitting said rail and an inclined portion engaging said wedge wall, welding located around the edge of said base integrally securing said stationary block to said tie plate, said brace having a clearance space for the welding between the adjacent edges of said base and said rail flange.

5. In a rail brace construction, a tie plate having a shoulder, a rail seated on said plate and having its base flange disposed against said shoulder, a separate stationary block having a base resting on said tie plate and a Wedge wall, said wedge Wall being inclined lengthwise of the rail, said stationary block having a shelf located near the bottom of said wedge wall, an adjustable rail contact block having a portion fitting said rail and an inclined portion engaging said wedge wall, welding located around the edge of said base integrally securing said stationary block to said tie plate, said shelf engaging the lower edge of said Contact block, a clearance space being provided for the Welding between the adjacent edges of said base and said rail flange.

SAMUEL L. EASTBURN. 

